Career and Education Opportunities for Sports Trainers in Chicago, Illinois

Many educational and employment opportunities exist for sports trainers in the Chicago, Illinois area. About 1,490 people are currently employed as sports trainers in Illinois. By 2016, this is expected to grow 17% to 1,740 people employed. This is not quite as good as the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for sports trainers are expected to grow by about 37.0%. Sports trainers generally evaluate, advise, and treat athletes to assist recovery from injury, avoid injury, or maintain peak physical fitness.

The average wage in the general category of Athletic and Occupational jobs is $43 per hour or $82,157 per year in Illinois, and an average of $44 per hour or $84,458 per year nationwide. Sports trainers earn less than people working in the category of Athletic and Occupational generally in Illinois and less than people in the Athletic and Occupational category nationally. Sports trainers work in a variety of jobs, including: fitness specialist, clinical instructor, and physical trainer.

There are six schools within twenty-five miles of Chicago where you can study to be a sports trainer, among 180 schools of higher education total in the Chicago area. Sports trainers usually hold a Bachelor's degree, so you can expect to spend about four years studying to be a sports trainer if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Sports Trainer

Sports Trainer video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

Sports trainers advise athletes on the proper use of apparatus. They also massage body parts to relieve soreness and bruises. Equally important, sports trainers have to conduct an initial assessment of an athlete's injury or illness to furnish emergency or continued care, and to establish whether they should be referred to physicians for definitive diagnosis and treatment. They are often called upon to formulate and implement comprehensive athletic injury and illness prevention programs. They are expected to recommend special diets to further optimize athletes' health, increase their stamina, or alter their weight. Finally, sports trainers talk with coaches to decide on protective apparatus.

Every day, sports trainers are expected to be able to evaluate problems as they arise. They need to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they piece together evidence to, in some sense, diagnose what is going on in a situation.

It is important for sports trainers to conduct research and furnish instruction on subject matter pertaining to athletic training or sports medicine. They are often called upon to lead stretching exercises for team members before games and practices. Somewhat less frequently, sports trainers are also expected to assess and report the progress of recovering athletes to coaches and physicians.

Sports trainers sometimes are asked to perform team-support duties such as running errands and stocking supplies. And finally, they sometimes have to accompany injured athletes to hospitals.

Like many other jobs, sports trainers must have a strong concern for others and be reliable.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Chicago include:

Certified Prosthetist. Assist patients with disabling conditions of limbs and spine or with partial or total absence of limb by fitting and preparing orthopedic braces or prostheses.

Licensed Practical Nurse. Care for ill, injured, or disabled persons in hospitals, nursing homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required.

Occupational Safety and Health Inspector. Review, evaluate, and analyze work environments and design programs and procedures to control, eliminate, and prevent disease or injury caused by chemical, physical, and biological agents or ergonomic factors. May conduct inspections and enforce adherence to laws and regulations governing the health and safety of individuals. May be employed in the public or private sector.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Sports Trainer Training

Elmhurst College - Elmhurst, IL

Elmhurst College, 190 Prospect Ave, Elmhurst, IL 60126-3096. Elmhurst College is a small college located in Elmhurst, Illinois. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 3,315 students and an admission rate of 69%. Elmhurst College has a bachelor's degree program in Athletic Training/Trainer.

Trinity International University - Deerfield, IL

Trinity International University, 2065 Half Day Rd, Deerfield, IL 60015-1283. Trinity International University is a small university located in Deerfield, Illinois. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 2,654 students and an admission rate of 63%. Trinity International University has a bachelor's degree program in Athletic Training/Trainer.

North Central College - Naperville, IL

North Central College, 30 N Brainard St, Naperville, IL 60540. North Central College is a small college located in Naperville, Illinois. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 2,726 students and an admission rate of 69%. North Central College has a bachelor's degree program in Athletic Training/Trainer.

Lewis University - Romeoville, IL

Lewis University, One University Parkway, Romeoville, IL 60446-2200. Lewis University is a medium sized university located in Romeoville, Illinois. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 5,536 students and an admission rate of 71%. Lewis University has a bachelor's degree program in Athletic Training/Trainer.

Concordia University - River Forest, IL

Concordia University, 7400 Augusta, River Forest, IL 60305-1499. Concordia University is a small university located in River Forest, Illinois. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 4,185 students and an admission rate of 58%. Concordia University has a bachelor's degree program in Athletic Training/Trainer.

North Park University - Chicago, IL

North Park University, 3225 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60625-4895. North Park University is a small university located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 3,255 students and an admission rate of 30%. North Park University has a bachelor's degree program in Athletic Training/Trainer.

CERTIFICATIONS

AFAA Challenge Exam:
Any AFAA Certification may be challenged, however, it is recommended that you attend the preparatory workshop for that certification offered prior to the exams (Primary, Step, KickBoxing - 1 or 2 days, Personal Fitness Trainer - 3 days).

Certification in Sports Medicine:
The ABP in collaboration with the American Boards of Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Emergency Medicine offers a certificate of added qualifications in sports medicine.

Certified Health Fitness Specialist:
The ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist (HFS) is a degreed health and fitness professional qualified to pursue a career in university, corporate, commercial, hospital, and community settings.

Certified Personal Trainer:
The ACSM Certified Personal TrainerSM is a fitness professional involved in developing and implementing an individualized approach to exercise leadership in healthy populations and/or those individuals with medical clearance to exercise.

Sports Nutrition:
The optimum way for you or your clients to get the most out of their workouts and feel their best is to develop an energizing, performance-enhancing nutrition plan, tailored to their body's specific needs.

Functional Training Specialist:
The AFPA Functional Training Specialist Certification program is designed to teach the Functional Training protocols to improve total athleticism, enhances performance, and reduces injuries through exercise progressions that will spur development potential for specific movement patterns commonly use in sport.

Sports Conditioning Specialist:
The IFPA Sports Conditioning Specialist Certification(s) presents principles and practices from twenty-two of the finest and most respected strength and conditioning coaches.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois photo by Dschwen

Chicago is situated in Cook County, Illinois. It has a population of over 2,853,114, which has shrunk by 1.5% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Chicago, 114, is well above the national average. New single-family homes in Chicago are valued at $200,500 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, three hundred eighty-one new homes were built in Chicago, down from eight hundred seventy the previous year.

The three big industries for women in Chicago are health care, educational services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. For men, it is construction, professional, scientific, and technical services, and accommodation and food services. The average commute to work is about 35 minutes. More than 25.5% of Chicago residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 10.0%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Chicago is 11.6%, which is greater than Illinois's average of 10.5%.

The percentage of Chicago residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 57.6%, is more than both the national and state average. Southlawn United Methodist Church, Southern Missionary Baptist Church and Lakeside Evangelical Church are all churches located in Chicago. The most common religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Muslim Estimate and the Lutheran Church.

Chicago is home to the Five Crossings and the Wrigley Field as well as Monticello Park and Wilson Playground. Shopping centers in the area include Lincoln Village Shopping Center, Market Place at Six Corners Shopping Center and Kimbark Plaza Shopping Center. Visitors to Chicago can choose from Extended Stay America, Embassy Suites Lakefront and Cottage Inn for temporary stays in the area.